NYSE Prepares 22-Hour Trading as Tokenization Sets Wall Street Aglow

- Wall Street integrates blockchain technology with extended trading hours. - Innovations promise broader accessibility, faster settlements, and lower fees. The financial industry is undergoing a structural transformation as Wall Street incorporates blockchain-driven advancements such as tokenized equity and 24/7 trading. This monumental shift seeks to democratize market access, enable global participation, and resolve inefficiencies in settlement processes. On July 14, 2025, Cointelegraph reported that major financial institutions are embracing these advancements to improve accessibility and cater to growing global demand. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), for instance, is pursuing approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement 22-hour weekday trading. Concurrently, Nasdaq is advancing plans to establish round-the-clock trading on weekdays. These initiatives reveal a focused effort by traditional markets to align with the speed and capabilities offered by decentralized systems. Tokenized assets are at the core of this revolution. According to the report, the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken aims to provide tokenized stocks to its international clients. These stocks, securely pegged to actual equity shares, will use the Solana blockchain for record-keeping. Built on blockchain technology, this initiative will significantly reduce fees, speed up settlements, and expand access for global investors. High-profile leaders in finance have strongly endorsed the potential of tokenized assets. In his annual letter to investors, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink emphasized their transformative nature, asserting, “Tokenization is democratization. Every stock, every bond, every fund—every asset—can be tokenized. If they are, it will revolutionize investing.” Fink also advocated for continuous, 24/7 markets, highlighting their ability to settle transactions within seconds. He argued that such advancements could unlock capital for immediate reinvestment and spur economic growth on a broader scale. This transition toward 24/7 trading also highlights current disparities in trading systems. Retail investors are limited to standard trading hours, while institutional players benefit from extended access. The “night effect” exacerbates this imbalance. This phenomenon, where returns generated between market closures significantly outpace those during regular hours, disadvantages retail participants. Transitioning to tokenized and always-open markets can eliminate these disparities and foster a more equitable trading environment. The integration of asset tokenization with blockchain technology signifies more than an evolution of market mechanics; it is a profound restructuring of the financial landscape. These innovations will resolve inefficiencies, enable wider participation, and remove barriers for global investors. Ultimately, they will redefine trading and investing as we know it. As of July 14, 18:15 UTC, Solana (SOL)—the blockchain supporting Kraken's tokenized stock platform—is trading at $164.08, reflecting a 0.89% increase in 24-hour trading volume, according to market data.